Anti-abortion billboard aims to target African-Americans

“The Most Dangerous Place for An African American is in the Womb.” Although the statement is clear, the message is not. The billboard was placed there by Heroic Media, a faith-based non-profit out of Austin Texas that promotes alternatives to abortion. The billboard was paid for by ticket sales from an event in Jacksonville, featuring Sarah Palin.

“While African Americans make up thirteen percent of the population in America, they represent 36 percent of the abortions in the United States,” says Marissa Gabrysch from Heroic Media. “In the African American community, twice as many deaths have occurred due to abortions than the combined totals of violent crime, cancer, heart disease and AIDS,” she continues.

The billboard directs women facing unexpected pregnancies to dangerousplace.com. In that website, women can be connected to help in their communities, such pregnancy clinics. Emergency Pregnancy Services in Riverside is one such pro-life clinic. Counselors there say they discuss all options with clients in a non-judgmental way and carry out sonograms.

“It gives the young lady an opportunity to actually see the baby, it could be sucking its thumb at the time. You get to see the baby’s heartbeat, at that point they realize this pregnancy is more than a bunch of cells”, says Suzanne Crittendon. She states that after that sonogram, 83 percent of the women who were abortion minded, change their minds.

Planned Parenthood officials here say the money for the billboard could be better spent helping women avoid unintended pregnancy by increasing access to education and family planning services. The CEO of Planned Parenthood of North Florida Staci Fox says that the crisis here is that all should be working together to avoid unintended pregnancy.

“Planned Parenthood trusts all women to make healthy and informed decisions about their reproductive health care including pregnancy, regardless of race or economic status.”